Japan Reports

Hotels & Venues

Songtei Kyoto, Shangri-La Signatures to Open in the Second Half of 2026 Opposite Nijō Castle, With 77 Rooms and a Full Opening Planned for Early 2027

Shangri-La Group has announced plans to open Songtei Kyoto, Shangri-La Signatures, a new hotel in its ultra-luxury Shangri-La Signatures collection. Located opposite Nijō Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the hotel will have 77 rooms. It is scheduled to open in the second half of 2026, with facilities opening in stages before a full opening...

Hotels & Venues

“teamLab TOKYO” (Tentative Name), a 30,000-Square-Meter Project in Ariake, Tokyo, Planned to Open in 2032 With Plazas and Cafes

A new large-scale museum, tentatively named “teamLab TOKYO,” is scheduled to open in Ariake, Tokyo, in 2032. The project will cover approximately 30,000 square meters and is planned to include a teamLab museum alongside a connected series of open spaces with greenery, plazas and cafes. It will become another teamLab location in Tokyo, joining its...

Japanese Mobility

Airport Heli Shuttle Connects Kansai International Airport and Kyoto in About 25 Minutes, Launching September 15, 2026; Eight Daily Flight Slots, Shared Seats From ¥20,000

Airport Heli Shuttle, a helicopter service connecting Kansai International Airport and Kyoto, begins operations on September 15, 2026. The operator is Kyoto-based Space Aviation. The flight from Kansai International Airport to JPD Kyoto Heliport takes about 25 minutes. The company has established eight daily flight slots, or four round trips. Shared-flight seats start at ¥20,000,...

Hotels & Venues

Hilton Tokyo Odaiba to renovate 26 rooms, including a 200-square-meter top-tier suite; stays begin Dec. 19, 2026, alongside a revamped lounge

Hilton Tokyo Odaiba will renovate a total of 26 suites and executive rooms, including its top-tier Presidential Terrace Bath Suite, as part of its first major hotel-wide renovation since opening. Reservations began Sept. 17, 2026, and stays in the renovated rooms will begin Dec. 19. An executive lounge measuring approximately 337 square meters and seating...

CEATEC
Japan Events

Updated Regularly: CEATEC 2026 to Be Held at Makuhari Messe From October 13 to 16 Under the Theme “Transformation,” With More Exhibitor Highlights Added

CEATEC 2026, a comprehensive exhibition of digital technologies, will take place over four days from October 13 to 16, 2026, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture. Bringing together people, technologies, information and ideas from a wide range of industries, the exhibition promotes collaboration across fields and plays a role in creating new markets and envisioning...

Games & Pop Culture

“Encounter Legendary Pokémon: Legend Research in Nihonbashi & Yaesu” Underway, With More Than 100 Pokémon Appearing Across the District

“Encounter Legendary Pokémon: Legend Research in Nihonbashi & Yaesu,” an event set across the Nihonbashi and Yaesu districts, began on September 9, 2026. Marking Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, it runs through November 29. More than 100 Pokémon appear in and around buildings in the two districts, and a program combining a walk through the streets with...

Art & Culture

On-site report: AniBeat brings an intimate anime music concert to Kyoto nights, with live performances of music from Ghibli films, NARUTO and Attack on Titan for international visitors

Where would you send a visitor from overseas who said they wanted to attend a concert in Kyoto? A new evening option has opened in Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-Gojo area. AniBeat | KYOTO ANIME MUSIC NIGHT, scheduled to hold regular performances from October 2026, is an intimate concert of anime music performed by a soprano, violinist and...

pre-antb2026
Japan Events

Tourism businesses from Kyushu and overseas startups to gather in Fukuoka for Asia New Travel Bootcamp on October 6, 2026; capacity set at 150

Asia New Travel Bootcamp (ANTB), a global conference connecting Asian travel technology startups with regional businesses in Japan, will be held in Fukuoka for the first time on October 6, 2026. It will be the event’s first edition outside Okinawa Prefecture. Discussions and pitches on emerging developments will address rapidly growing fields including well-being and...

Japan Events

SKS JAPAN 2026, One of Japan’s Largest Global Food-Tech Summits, Confirmed for November 5–7 in Tokyo: Three Days Aimed at Creating New Food-Tech Industries

SKS JAPAN 2026, one of Japan’s largest global food-tech summits, will take place over three days from November 5–7, 2026, in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. The event brings together food changemakers from Japan and abroad. Organized by UnlocX Inc. and U.S. food-tech media company The Spoon, it will mark its ninth edition in 2026. This article outlines...

Hotels & Venues

Toward Making Fukuoka an Advanced Model City for Health: Sakurajuji Advanced Center for Research and Application (SACRA) to Launch Sept. 10

Sakurajuji Group will reopen the Sakurajuji Advanced Center for Research and Application (SACRA) on the seventh floor of the BiVi Fukuoka commercial facility in Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, on Sept. 10, 2026. This article introduces the center’s initiatives along with information on the opening event to be held the same day. Sakurajuji Advanced Center for Research...

Games & Pop Culture

TOKYO GAME SHOW 2026 to Run for a Record Five Days, September 17–21 at Makuhari Messe; Latest Exhibitor News from Capcom, Konami, Bandai Namco, Sega and More

This article presents the latest information on TOKYO GAME SHOW 2026, scheduled to take place from September 17 to 21, 2026, at Makuhari Messe and TKP Tokyo Bay Makuhari Hall in Chiba Prefecture. Organized by the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association, the event marks its 30th anniversary this year and has been expanded to a record...

NoMaps
Japan Events

NoMaps 2026: Dates, Theme “GALAPAGOS,” and Volunteer Opportunities for Sapporo’s Cross-Industry Festival

NoMaps 2026, a citywide festival that brings together technology, entertainment, business, and culture, will take place across central Sapporo, Hokkaido, from September 23 to 27, 2026. Now in its 11th year, the five-day festival has announced “GALAPAGOS” as its main theme for 2026. This article explores the concept behind the theme, the diverse programs that...

Art & Culture

[Interview] Exploring UZUMASA KYOTO VILLAGE Through a MICE Lens Following Its March 2026 Renewal: Exclusive Buyouts for Up to 1,000 Guests and VIP Cultural Experiences Redefine Kyoto’s Evening MICE Offerings

Following a major first-phase renewal, Toei Kyoto Studio Park has been renamed “UZUMASA KYOTO VILLAGE.” The facility has also introduced extended operating hours until 9:00 p.m. daily, evolving into an entertainment destination that can be enjoyed both during the day and in the evening. The renewal project also takes into consideration business events, group use,...

©Viva Technology 2025
Exhibitions & Events

[VivaTech 2026] Europe’s Largest Technology Festival Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary with an Expanded Vision

VivaTech, Europe’s largest startup and technology event, will return to Paris, France, from June 17 to 20, 2026, marking its milestone 10th edition. Organizers are expanding the event footprint this year and expect approximately 180,000 participants from around the world. From cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies to cleantech solutions aimed at addressing environmental challenges, VivaTech 2026...

Manufacturing & Mobility

Tokyo DisneySea 25th Anniversary “Magical Jubilee Shinkansen” to Begin Service on June 10, 2026 — Special Celebration-Themed Journeys Between Tokyo and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Tokyo DisneySea, East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and Oriental Land Co., Ltd. have jointly planned a special train service, the “Magical Jubilee Shinkansen,” which will begin limited-time operations on June 10, 2026. Inspired by the anniversary event “Tokyo DisneySea 25th: Sparkling Jubilee,” the specially decorated Shinkansen will operate...

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